Electrode support apparatus for electrical precipitators

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for supporting and electrically connecting a discharge electrode of an electrical precipitator, the apparatus comprising a support channel having a set of receiving tabs and in combination therewith an electrode hanger configured to be removably received by said tabs to electrically connect and support an attached electrode.

Unite States atent [191 Kline Sept. 17, 1974 1 ELECTRODE SUPPORT APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL PRECIPITATORS [75] Inventor: Richard L. Kline, Louisville, Ky.

[73] Assignee: American Air Filter Company, Inc.,

Louisville, Ky.

[22] Filed: Mar. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 238,247

[52] US. Cl 55/148, 24/201 A, 55/150,

248/224,. 287/205 R, 339/273 R [51] Int. Cl. 1303c 3/41, B03c 3/86 [58] Field of Search 55/140, 141, 147, 148,

55/150,151,152,l54,155,156,149; 24/201 A, 130; 339/273 R, 248, 276 R, 278 R, 273 F; 248/224, 300; 287/205 R, 109

2,688,688 9/1954 Holtz 339/273 F 2,695,658 11/1954 Flint 248/224 X 2,841,353 7/1958 Burdick 248/224 3,016,980 l/l962 Gonzalez 55/137 3,088,092 4/1963 Ullrich 339/248 3,175,341 3/1965 Winter 55/43 3,483,670 12/1969 Quintilian et a1. 55/112 3,501,898 3/1970 Lindholm 287/205 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 831,824 3/1960 Great Britain 248/224 995,555 8/1951 France 248/224 544,084 2/1932 Germany 55/154 546,352 3/1932 Germany 55/154 679,489 2/1964 Canada 248/224 489,181 7/1938 Great Britain 248/224 Primary ExaminerDennis E. Talbert, Jr.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT An apparatus for supporting and electrically connecting a discharge electrode of an electrical precipitator, the apparatus comprising a support channel having a set of receiving tabs and in combination therewith an electrode hanger configured to be removably received by said tabs to electrically connect and support an attached electrode.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures ELECTRODE SUPPORT APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL PRECIPITATORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Previously, it has been a problem to secure and electrically connect the discharge electrodes of an electrical precipitator to a current carrying support means. Advantageously, the electrodes are sought to be removably fastened so that they can be easily replaced, yet, not easily dislodged during precipitator operation, by various influences, such as the incoming .dirty gas stream, or the vibrations of a downstream collecting plate cleaning mechanism. Previous attempts at providing a suitable electrode support and electrical connector have resulted in constructions which have been costly, complicated, and difficult to fabricate. However, the invention of this application avoids the problems of the prior art constructions and provides a straightforward inexpensive readily constructed and easily maintained apparatus for supporting and electrically connecting discharge electrodes in an electrical precipitator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention includes, in a discharge electrode construction for an electrical precipitator, an electrode support apparatus comprising in combination;

a current carrying support means having a plurality of hanger engaging tabs projecting therefrom, the tabs being arranged in sets, each set including two tabs lying in intersecting planes and projecting from the same side of the support means, the set of tabs being further defined in that each tab is oblique with respect to the other;

the tabs defining electrode hanger receiving slots, one slot located between each of the tabs and the current carrying support means, the electrode hanger receiving slots being generally V-shaped in cross-section;

a self-aligning electrode hanger having a discharge electrode attached thereto and having tab engaging edges which are removably received in the electrode hanger receiving slots of a set of tabs.

The electrode apparatus of this invention has been found to be very useful in that it provides a simple easily constructed effective means of supporting and electrically connecting discharge electrodes of electrostatic precipitators to current carrying support means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing the discharge electrode support apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric view of the support means shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the electrode hanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of the support means of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the electrode hanger of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a support means 10 which contains preselectively positioned sets of hanger engaging tabs 11 projecting therefrom. The tabs 11 lie in intersecting planes and project from the same side of support means 10. Advantageously, tabs 11 are oblique with respect to each other. It is also possible that one tab could be vertical and the other slanted. Each tab 11 forms a V- shaped electrode hanger receiving slot 12 with support means 10, and in doing so, the tabs which are advantageously punched from support means 10 project outwardly at an angle of about 30 degrees with respect to support plate 10. Electrode hanger receiving slots 12, formed by tabs 11 of a set, function cooperatively with one another to removably receive an electrode hanger 13. In this regard electrode receiving slots 12 are advantageously V-shaped in cross-section but need not be limited to such a configuration.

Electrode hangers 13, (FIGS. 4 and 8), are shaped to engage tabs 11 and be in positive electrical contact between tabs 11 and support means 10. The electrode hangers are advantageously flat but can be of any curvature, (for example, bowed) which is not inconsistent with achieving the advantages of this invention. The precipitator electrodes (not shown) are connected to the electrode hangers 13 opposite end portions 14 and the electrodes are weighted on their lower ends thereby providing a constant force to hold hangers 13 in engagement with tabs 11. It is important to note that tab engaging edges 18 of hangers 13 are advantageously tapered to slant with respect to each other at the same angle as does each tab 11 with respect to the other tab in each set. Such slanted tab engaging edges give a selfaligning feature to hangers 13 and allow for maximum electrical contact between support means 10 and hangers 13 while insuring positive removability of the two.

Advantageously, with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 14, when the electrode hangers are wedge-shaped, the tabs of a set open toward each other and are mutually divergent upwardly, while, with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 58, when the electrode hangers are T-shaped, the tabs of a set open away from each other and are advantageously mutually convergent upwardly.

As shown in FIG. 4 electrode hanger 13 advantageously has an enlarged end portion 14 serving as a failsafe stop should tabs 11 accidentally become spread so far apart that they no longer engage edges 18. Also hanger 13 has an aperture 15 therein. In its assembled condition (FIG. 1) aperture 15 aligns with support means aperture 17 to allow a fastener, such as a nut and bolt (not shown), to be passed therethrough.

FIGS. 5-8 show an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein tabs 11 open outwardly away from each other and are mutually convergent upwardly. Electrode hangers 13 are generally T-shaped having projections 16 extending downwardly from the cross bar or end portion 14 thereof. FIG. 5 shows the electrode hangers removably received in the electrode receiving slots 12. Again, in the construction of this embodiment tabs 11 are advantageously punched from the electrode support means. Also electrode hangers 13 are advantageously flat. In the use of the apparatus of this invention one firstly provides a current carrying support means 10, advantageously a channel shaped member, in position in his electrical precipitator, the support means having sets of tabs 11 preselectively located so that the discharge electrodes will be properly located therein. Secondly, discharge electrodes having hangers attached to one end thereof and electrode weights or additional hangers attached to the other end thereof are fabricated. The electrodes are then placed within the precipitator with each hanger being received in the electrode receiving slots of a set of tabs and in positive electrical contact with the tabs and support means, in a removable manner.

It should be further noted that although the invention has been shown in the drawing in terms of a support means comprising tabs 11 it is equally feasible that tabs 11 could be located in a second hanger of an electrode and thus two electrodes could be coupled in end to end fashion. It is, of course, also possible that the hanger of an electrode would contain tabs 11 and the support means would have, protruding therefrom, a portion identical to the shown electrode hangers to form a similar electrode support apparatus with the disclosed elements reversed. All of these variations are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

1. An electrostatic precipitator comprising a discharge electrode construction and support means therefor comprising: an electrode support apparatus; a

current carrying support means having a plurality of hanger engaging tabs punched therefrom, the tabs being arranged in sets, each set including two tabs lying in intersecting planes and projecting at an angle of about 30 from the same side of said support means with the two tabs of each set of tabs being mutually convergent upwardly with respect to the other tab of the same set and with each tab of each set of tabs opening away from the other of the same set, said tabs defining electrode hanger receiving slots one slot located between each of said tabs and said support means, said electrode hanger receiving slots being generally V- shaped in cross section; a flat self aligning electrode hanger having a discharge electrode attached thereto and having a generally T-shaped configuration with two projections one disposed at each end of the T cross bar each projection having a tapered tab engaging edge which is removably received in an electrode hanger receiving slot to provide that each electrode hanger positively removably engage said support means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each tab of each set of tabs is oblique with respect to the other tab of the same set.

3. The electrode support apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means is a channel member and said tabs are punched therefrom. 

1. An electrostatic precipitator comprising a discharge electrode construction and support means therefor comprising: an electrode support apparatus; a current carrying support means having a plurality of hanger engaging tabs punched therefrom, the tabs being arranged in sets, each set including two tabs lying in intersecting planes and projecting at an angle of about 30* from the same side of said support means with the two tabs of each set of tabs being mutually convergent upwardly with respect to the other tab of the same set and with each tab of each set of tabs opening away from the other of the same set, said tabs defining electrode hanger receiving slots one slot located between each of said tabs and said support means, said electrode hanger receiving slots being generally V-shaped in cross section; a flat self aligning electrode hanger having a discharge electrode attached thereto and having a generally T-shaped configuration with two projections one disposed at each end of the T cross bar each projection having a tapered tab engaging edge which is removably received in an electrode hanger receiving slot to provide that each electrode hanger positively removably engage said support means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each tab of each set of tabs is oblique with respect to the other tab of the same set.
 3. The electrode support apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means is a channel member and said tabs are punched therefrom. 